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The German Criminology Collection contains books from the sixteenth to the nineteenth century. Bexx Caswell-Olson, Special Collections Conservator, started her investigation by reaching out to an expert on campus, Dr. Frances Trail, who is a Professor of Plant Biology and specializes in studying microfungi. Trail was immediately intrigued, “Microfungi fascinate me, so wherever I can find them, I will be glad to explore and sample.

Current seed-oil based bioproduction relies heavily on food crop species, such as soybean, sunflower and canola oil,” said Danny Schnell, MSU plant biologist and grant coordinator. “Camelina doesn’t require as much water as these crops, it grows quicker and it has a higher resistance to pest and disease. By focusing on some key genetic control points, we’re hoping to unlock the relationship between carbon capture and increasing oil and seed production.

Michigan State University’s Robert Last studies tomatoes. Specifically, he researches their hair, or trichomes. For this study, he focused on a single type of molecule in trichomes – acylsugars. The secrets Last and a team of MSU scientists found from studying these specialized metabolites open an evolutionary window for the emerging field of plant defense metabolism, insights that could lead to engineering advances for better pest resistance and human medicine.

The year 2050 is expected to reach an important milestone in global agriculture: the world population is expected to top 9 billion people, a one-third increase over the current population. Much of this growth will take place in less developed, already food-insecure regions of the world such as Africa. And rising life expectancies are exacerbating the problem.

"The fungus that causes wheat head blight, a devastating pathogen across the U.S. and around the world, is distributed by spores ejected from fruiting bodies," said Frances Trail, MSU fungal biologist. "This research has identified genes that are uniquely used by this species to form and distribute spores, and thus the disease, over many miles. We are moving forward with a focus on these genes to generate novel modes of control targeted at spore formation and distribution."

Ten Michigan State University professors have been named University Distinguished Professors in recognition of their achievements in the classroom, laboratory and community. This recognition is among the highest honors that can be bestowed on a faculty member by the university. Those selected for the title have been recognized nationally and internationally for the importance of their teaching, research and outreach achievements.

"ASPB is the world's oldest and largest international professional organization of plant scientists," said Danny Schnell, chair of the Department of Plant Biology. "Rob's election by the membership is a tremendous honor and reflects his stature in the profession and his many contributions to research and education."

Sheng Yang He, a University Distinguished Professor of plant biology and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) – Gordon Betty Moore Foundation (GBMF) Investigator since 2011, has been re-appointed as an HHMI Investigator, which extends his appointment to 2024.

Some people travel to northern California for wine. However, Maren Friesen, Michigan State University plant biologist, treks to the Golden State for clover. The lessons of plant diversity and competition learned from a clover patch, which are featured in a special issue of the Journal of Ecology, can potentially unlock secrets on plant interactions around the globe.